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* THE GLASS FACTORY. *
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&*:~...... SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST ......~:*&
¶&*:~..... BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO .....~:*&¶
#¶&*:~.... THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY ....~:*&¶#
##¶&*:~... NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES ...~:*&¶##
###¶&*:~.. SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN ..~:*&¶###
##¶&*:~... STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. ...~:*&¶##
#¶&*:~.... FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR ....~:*&¶#
¶&*:~..... THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, .....~:*&¶
&*:~...... AND A GIFT SHOP. ......~:*&
*:~....... .......~:*
:~........ THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY ........~:
*:~....... MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE .......~:*
&*:~...... CONSIDERED POOR. ......~:*&
¶&*:~..... .....~:*&¶
#¶&*:~.... THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, ....~:*&¶#
##¶&*:~... DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN ...~:*&¶##
###¶&*:~.. YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, ..~:*&¶###
##¶&*:~... REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. ...~:*&¶##
#¶&*:~.... CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND ....~:*&¶#
¶&*:~..... LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE .....~:*&¶
&*:~...... PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, ......~:*&
*:~....... SOME ARE SHATTERED. .......~:*
:~........ ........~:
*:~....... THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S .......~:*
&*:~...... A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT ......~:*&
¶&*:~..... GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. .....~:*&¶
#¶&*:~.... VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON ....~:*&¶#
##¶&*:~... TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF ...~:*&¶##
###¶&*:~.. GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. ..~:*&¶###
##¶&*:~... ...~:*&¶##
#¶&*:~.... ** ....~:*&¶#
¶&*:~..... ** ** .....~:*&¶
&*:~...... ~~~~~~~ * * ~~~~~~~ ......~:*&
*:~....... ** ** .......~:*
:~........ ** ........~:
*:~....... .......~:*
&*:~...... I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE ......~:*&
¶&*:~..... OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS .....~:*&¶
#¶&*:~.... OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD ....~:*&¶#
##¶&*:~... DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS ...~:*&¶##
###¶&*:~.. BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF ..~:*&¶###
##¶&*:~... DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO ...~:*&¶##
#¶&*:~.... ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE ....~:*&¶#
¶&*:~..... LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK .....~:*&¶
&*:~...... WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. ......~:*&
*:~....... .......~:*
:~........ HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE ........~:
*:~....... HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. .......~:*
&*:~...... IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY ......~:*&
¶&*:~..... INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE .....~:*&¶
#¶&*:~.... IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM ....~:*&¶#
##¶&*:~... WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS ...~:*&¶##
###¶&*:~.. OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. ..~:*&¶###
##¶&*:~... ...~:*&¶##
#¶&*:~.... THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT ....~:*&¶#
¶&*:~..... HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT .....~:*&¶
&*:~...... LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND ......~:*&
*:~....... TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST .......~:*
:~........ A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH ........~:
*:~....... STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE .......~:*
&*:~...... BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN ......~:*&
¶&*:~..... ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING .....~:*&¶
#¶&*:~.... LIT FROM BEHIND. ....~:*&¶#
##¶&*:~... ...~:*&¶##
###¶&*:~.. I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT ..~:*&¶###
##¶&*:~... THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE ...~:*&¶##
#¶&*:~.... WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S ....~:*&¶#
¶&*:~..... LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN .....~:*&¶
&*:~...... ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, ......~:*&
*:~....... AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE .......~:*
:~........ OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. ........~:
*:~....... .......~:*
&*:~...... ** ......~:*&
¶&*:~..... ** ** .....~:*&¶
#¶&*:~.... ~~~~~~~ * * ~~~~~~~ ....~:*&¶#
##¶&*:~... ** ** ...~:*&¶##
###¶&*:~.. ** ..~:*&¶###
##¶&*:~... ...~:*&¶##
#¶&*:~.... MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE ....~:*&¶#
¶&*:~..... STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET .....~:*&¶
&*:~...... IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, ......~:*&
*:~....... IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. .......~:*
:~........ IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN ........~:
*:~....... DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY .......~:*
&*:~...... CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO ......~:*&
¶&*:~..... SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND .....~:*&¶
#¶&*:~.... PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. ....~:*&¶#
##¶&*:~... ...~:*&¶##
###¶&*:~.. THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT ..~:*&¶###
##¶&*:~... THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE ...~:*&¶##
#¶&*:~.... THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM ....~:*&¶#
¶&*:~..... A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS .....~:*&¶
&*:~...... SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING ......~:*&
*:~....... HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I .......~:*
:~........ SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO ........~:
*:~....... THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. .......~:*
&*:~...... IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL ......~:*&
¶&*:~..... CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE .....~:*&¶
#¶&*:~.... ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. ....~:*&¶#
##¶&*:~... ...~:*&¶##
###¶&*:~.. THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, ..~:*&¶###
##¶&*:~... WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND ...~:*&¶##
#¶&*:~.... CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS ....~:*&¶#
¶&*:~..... BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT .....~:*&¶
&*:~...... FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE ......~:*&
*:~....... BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING .......~:*
:~........ DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE ........~:
*:~....... TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS .......~:*
&*:~...... DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY ......~:*&
¶&*:~..... FLOOR. .....~:*&¶
#¶&*:~.... ....~:*&¶#
##¶&*:~... HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO ...~:*&¶##
###¶&*:~.. KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE ..~:*&¶###
##¶&*:~... LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, ...~:*&¶##
#¶&*:~.... WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK ....~:*&¶#
¶&*:~..... PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF .....~:*&¶
&*:~...... HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. ......~:*&
*:~....... THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. .......~:*
:~........ ........~:
*:~....... I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM .......~:*
&*:~...... WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO ......~:*&
¶&*:~..... MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A .....~:*&¶
#¶&*:~.... WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS ....~:*&¶#
##¶&*:~... THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT ...~:*&¶##
###¶&*:~.. VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, ..~:*&¶###
##¶&*:~... BECOME STILL. ...~:*&¶##
#¶&*:~.... ....~:*&¶#
¶&*:~..... ** .....~:*&¶
&*:~...... ** ** ......~:*&
*:~....... ~~~~~~~ * * ~~~~~~~ .......~:*
:~........ ** ** ........~:
*:~....... ** .......~:*
&*:~...... ......~:*&
¶&*:~..... A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, .....~:*&¶
#¶&*:~.... AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M ....~:*&¶#
##¶&*:~... BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE ...~:*&¶##
###¶&*:~.. STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, ..~:*&¶###
##¶&*:~... CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST ...~:*&¶##
#¶&*:~.... FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, ....~:*&¶#
¶&*:~..... SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, .....~:*&¶
&*:~...... AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. ......~:*&
*:~....... .......~:*
:~........ SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER ........~:
*:~....... THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK .......~:*
&*:~...... GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND ......~:*&
¶&*:~..... I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE .....~:*&¶
#¶&*:~.... THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? ....~:*&¶#
##¶&*:~... ...~:*&¶##
###¶&*:~.. I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. ..~:*&¶###
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